Page 45 of Courage, Dear Heart

Jillian

The bellabove the shop door chimes, and I look up to see a familiar face. Sabrina grins as she walks over, followed closely by a woman I don’t recognize and a little girl with dark hair.

“Sabrina!” I smile, genuinely pleased to see her. “This is a surprise!”

Jamie, sitting on a beanbag behind the counter with his handheld game, perks up when he hears me.

“Hi! I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by.” Sabrina gestures to the tall woman beside her and the little girl clinging to her hand. “I brought my sister Elsa and my niece, Maddie.” She leans closer like she’s about to tell me a secret. “The truth is she made me do it. She wanted to meet you.”

Elsa smacks Sabrina on the arm. “You were not supposed to say that.”

The little girl giggles at them.

I walk around the counter, extendingmy hand to Elsa. “It’s great to meet you.” She’s tall and now that I know who she is, it’s easy to see the similarities between her and her brother. “And this is Jamie.”

He comes to stand next to me with his little hand out to Elsa, who grins at him.

Sabrina high-fives Jamie. “So good to see you again.”

He smiles at her and looks at Maddie with curiosity.

“And you must be Maddie.” I bend at the waist to talk to her. “I’ve heard lots about you. Your uncle Elliott is crazy about you.”

She grins. “You have so many pretty flowers!” Not even the missing front tooth can take away from her beauty.

“Thank you, Maddie. Why don’t you pick out some flowers to take home with you? My treat.”

Maddie’s eyes light up, and she turns to her mom. “Can I?”

Elsa chuckles, giving her a nod. “Go ahead, sweetheart. Pick your favorite. Just one.”

I squeeze my son’s shoulder. “Jamie, do you want to show Maddie the flowers?”

He hesitates for a moment and then walks up to her. The two of them wander through the displays, Jamie quietly pointing at different flowers.

Sabrina lunges herself at me with open arms. “Hugs!”

I barely have time to brace myself as she holds me tight and sways me from side to side like a lifelong friend who hasn’t seen me for a while.

Elsa tugs at her sister’s arm. “Oh my goodness, Sabrina, let the woman breathe.” Elsa laughs at her sister. “Sorry, she’s like an untrained puppy.”

Their banter is good-natured and it’s easy to see this istheir MO. Elsa as the big sister being the composed, more reserved one, and Sabrina trying to be the brat of the family.

Elsa shakes her head at her sister before turning to me. “So you’re the famous Jillian. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

A blush creeps up my neck and into my face. “Famous? I don’t know about that.”

Sabrina’s grin widens and she waggles her eyebrows.

I laugh. “So you came here to check me out.”

“Oh, of course not.” Sabrina’s voice is pure innocence, but her eyes sparkle with mischief. “Total coincidence. Elsa absolutely didn’t come to the bakery and drag me here so she could see for herself who’s keeping Elliott so busy.”

I cross my arms with a grin of my own. “I see. You both just happen to need flowers today?”

“Absolutely.” Elsa nods with an exaggeratedly serious expression. “Flowers. Yes. That’s what we came here for.”

A laugh bubbles out of me, and I shake my head, loving that they included me in their banter. “So flowers with a side of sisterly investigation? I have the perfect arrangement for that.”

---